Zoraida Marasigan
A lone shadow amidst them all. Shutters with Unbreakable Charms under lock and key. Alertness resonating from every fibre of her being. Accustomed to the ways of the streets, Zora is bound to neither criminal instincts nor the power of good. She skips back and forth the boundary with no qualms whatsoever and treads none too lightly on the bad vs. good spectrum. Again and again, she warns people once and only once that she isn't a good person. Not directly of course, what fun is in that? Her titillating, sunny smiles and sultry smirks (unintentionally, she swears) are remarkably distracting and tend to lead most off the cliff and into the ravine. Tsunamis of warning signals simply peel off her skin and inundate the surrounding atmosphere, but few people ever take heed or even notice. Those with the more vulgar mindset lean towards calling her a collection of nasty names, that much to their upcoming surprise, are anything but the truth. Not all scars litter the topmost layer of one's humanity, and not all of them bite as deeply as the Mariana Trench. The Filipina does what she does as a way of survival. Under the thin veneer of playful self-preservation is a girl who strives for equality. Her loyalty stretches as far as Pluto but as thin as the debilitating ozone layer. With a predilection for being floutingly ahead, she'll stab you in the back before you do her in. It's nothing personal, she swears - and perhaps the only way she'll remotely admit to being akin to a politician. Yet her heart yields with mettle, and while she may not bequeath her word of honor obtusely, there is no paucity of truth within it. Restive soul, Zora is, but she dares not deign to go back on her word. Of course, there is a weak link to every armor, and given her history, Zora's fits her snugly. Her hard exterior softens in the presence of younglings, and the transition from rebel to babysitter most definitely raises some eyebrows. Having been the one to take care of her siblings while her mother was out at work, her experience with even the crabbiest tykes is beyond her years, so if you ever need a nanny for the day and are willing to risk getting your silverware stolen, Zora is your girl. |Personality Tab 1 Pic = Zoraida Personality Tab 1.gif |Personality Tab 2 Name = ENTJ |Personality Tab 2 Text = Extravert, iNtuitive, Thinking, Judging She has a slight preference of Extraversion over Introversion. (6%) She has a slight preference of Intuition over Sensing. (6%) She has a distinct preference of Thinking over Feeling. (62%) She has a moderate preference of Judging over Perceiving. (25%) |Personality Tab 2 Pic = |House Text = |Childhood Text = "I'm only letting this be told because I'm being forced to. You keep your trap shut, or you'll regret it. That's not a promise, nor a threat. That's the future." The Philippines isn't a first world country. Everyone is aware of that. So how come that even though everyone knows, why are there people starving in the country by the daily? Same reasons why every place in the world has someone starving on the streets. To call what Zoraida experienced a childhood would be a pure, hard-hearted lie, and don't let anyone else convince you otherwise. She was the eldest daughter born to Nieves and Joseph Marasigan and at age four was stripped of any right to her childhood. Her father was always away, being a military man, and he died in war. Nieves was left with a mound of debts, no job, six kids to feed, and barely enough money to attend the funeral. Zora and her siblings almost starved as their mother scrabbled to make ends meet. While the four year old insisted on wanting to help, even offering to give up school to help her mother, Nieves was stubborn and argued that "she should leave it to the adults and that she was just a child." This line of reasoning grated on Zora immensely, and when her mother's back was turned, she rebelled. Stealing her classmates' lunch money was easy enough, and the young 'un's thieving streak was missed by the radar. She gave what little food she could spare to her siblings and ate as little as she could - just enough to get up and move and steal more. As she matured, innate criminal instincts resurfaced, and her knack for stealing was soon accompanied with manipulation, lying, and general chicanery. Learning the ways of the streets, Zora soon figured out the ostensible system and worked it to her favor. It wasn't a way a child should've grown up in. It wasn't a way any child should be conditioned to accept. Horrors that would've left most people screaming started to have zero effect on her. Magic had not been in Zora's calculations, and it had certainly had made one hell of a bang when it came into her life. One moment some person was holding a knife to her throat, the next they were unconscious against the wall. That frightened and fascinated her to no end, but she quickly realized that relying on these outbursts would not be sensible in the slightest. It almost seemed that everything was going along smoothly, but it wasn't. Zora was always hungry, no matter how long and hard she hunted. It was never enough, but they were recovering. Chip by chip, but recovering. Zora refused to allow her younger siblings to join her in her nightly escapades, and was firm in this statement. They could do nothing else but grudgingly oblige and turn a blind eye. Knowledge of her family's magical heritage came to light when her invitation to PSS arrived. Her mother was mildly shocked, but apparently was fully aware of the wizarding world - Joseph had been a Squib while Nieves' parents had been magical. All in all, a frankly interesting day in Zora's life. This was, however, a crucial turning point, as it meant leaving her family for a good part of the year. Zora managed to construct a plan that would appease her mother's wishes for her to attend and still secretly support her family. Stealing from her now magical classmates and sending the money via owl to one of her siblings? Went pretty well in Zora's case. She was good at not getting caught. |History at Hogwarts Text = |Optional History Tab 1 = PSS |Optional History Tab 1 Text = The Philippine School of Sorcery for Young Witches and Wizards is, quite unsurprisingly, spread amongst several Nipa Huts in Siquijor. In order to prevent tourists from interrupting students’ studies, several invisibility enchantments were cast over the grounds. The school teaches many branches of magic: Mananambals of the island often visit the school to conduct lessons on traditional healing methods, Mangkukulams lead classes on the practice of Kulam, the use of talismans, charms, and amulets is also studied, along with a branch of ancient magic originally written in Baybayin. Centuries ago, the mysterious disappearance of a student led many to believe he was an aswang who ran away to protect himself after his identity was discovered. To this day, the student has not been found. In the past, when molave trees were abundant on the island, students swore the branches of the trees on campus transformed into snakes at night and slithered through the grounds in an eerie tango. Not any more, though. The campus remains silent at night now. Muggle school had been a nuisance to Zora, with all the attempted bullying and whatnot, but her peers were no match for both her brawn and brain. Soon enough they were tearing at each other at the oh so easily altered turn of events, completely forgetting about who they were targeting in the first place. Magic school was hardly any different. Her school days wended on listlessly for four years. Zora discovered a talent for brewing potions in her second year and hastily set about excelling as best as she could. Astronomy piqued her interest soon afterwards, and while she unfortunately didn't unearth any extraordinary gift, this did not deter her from giving up on the subject. Charms, on the other hand, was another pursuit that put her in the good graces of her professor. On her fifth year, Zora was whisked out of school right before Christmas break by her mother, who had spontaneously acquired a chance, albeit a little illegal, for the entire family to escape Britain. The idea was preposterous, but Nieves was persistent and dead set on the idea that she could better working wages there. The Marasigan family relocated abruptly to Britain, possibly doomed to never see their homeland again. True to Zora's suspicions, there was perhaps even lesser hope of living properly in Britain. Nieves found a few little jobs, but had overlooked crucial, loose factors that may have aided in their survival. The East End's dark ways unfazed Zora, yet at the same time ate away at her hopes. The eldest Marasigan girl was not one to give up, and thus she immediately snatched at the chance to transfer to Hogwarts. Here was hoping they allowed students to send food out of school - or she'd have to figure out another way to provide for her family. |Skills Text = Theft It's no secret that Zora's really good at stealing things. You have to be if you're fending for your family's life and when you've been doing it for the past eleven years of your life and when you're just simply damned good at it. Lying Comes with the background, darling. Doesn't take a genius to understand that an honorable woman for a mother and a thief for a daughter couldn't have lasted this long without something hindering confrontation. Manipulation Is it really Zora's fault people leave their strings unknotted and waiting to be pulled or strung along? Potions |Academic Ability Text = |Parents Text = Joseph Marasigan "I can't quite say I miss him. I can barely remember the guy. Wish he could've done something more than just bring me into this world, though." Nieves Marasigan "I love my mother. I really do, but I'm really sick of her being high and mighty when we obviously need help." |Siblings Text = Marasigan Siblings "I've gone through hell and dragged the devil back out in chains with me for them." |Friends Text = |Acquaintances Text = |Pets Text = |Romances Text = Zoraida hasn't had time for romance, nor does it honestly have a place in her future plans, but hey, fate has a way with surprising people. |Optional Relationship Tab 1 = ARMP |Optional Relationship Tab 1 Text = Martin del Castillo "I don't believe it's possible I could give any less of a sh!t about Mr. All-Mighty-Prince-Who-Is-Oblivious-To-Starving-Subjects." Hazelle del Castillo "Too busy taking care of her manicure to look around." Valentin Fernandez "Oh, that guy, who was lovesick for del Castillo? Whatever. Don't care." Corinne Fernandez "Cute little girl playing her part. Whatever." Victoria Iglesias "Del Castillo's fiancée who is all moony-eyed for him? Unless she drills some sense into him, she's in the same boat as the idiot." Rheine Kögler "Who? Oh? That girl who killed herself? Wonder what pushed her over the edge." Celyn Edillon "One half of Joalyn. She can go do something for the dying country, then maybe I'll pay attention." Joaquin Perez "Second half of Joalyn. The one who acts all badass but isn't, not really. When is his girlfriend going to get the guts to say that? Gosh, poor kid." Dalisay Bonifacio "Who the hell is that?" |Name Meaning = Zoraida Perhaps means "enchanting" or "dawn" in Arabic. This was the name of a minor 12th-century Spanish saint, a convert from Islam. The name was used by Cervantes for a character in his novel 'Don Quixote' (1606), in which Zoraida is a beautiful Moorish woman of Algiers who converts to Christianity and elopes with a Spanish officer. Soledad so-le-DHAHD Means "solitude" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, María de Soledad, meaning "Mary of Solitude". Bláithín Variant of BLÁTHNAT using a different diminutive suffix. Means "little flower" from the Irish word blath "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by Cúchulainn, who killed her husband, but she was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants. Méabh Variant of MEDB: Original Irish form of MAEVE: MAYV Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. Her fight against Ulster and the hero Cúchulainn is told in the Irish epic 'The Cattle Raid of Cooley'. |Goals and Plans = |Fears = |Random Facts = }} Category:Omnia Lesvos Category:Characters Category:Slytherin Category:Name begins with "Z" Category:December Birthday Category:Speaks Filipino Category:Straight Category:Female Category:Witch Category:Mixed Blood Category:Born in Philippines Category:Filipino Category:Right Handed Category:Cypress Wand Category:Elm Wand Category:Dragon Heartstring Wand Category:Dark Brown Hair Category:Hazel Eyes Category:Dark Brown Eyes Category:Mammal Patronus Category:Large Patronus